Lord of this World
by SeedOfUnease
Summary: After dying at the hands of Aleph, Satan seeks the presence of God in the strange new world he's been thrust into. He does not find it.


Satan opened his eyes and screamed in horror.

It was not that he had gone from the Ark to some sort of organic nightmare. In his millennia of existence, Satan had grown used to sudden changes of scenery. No, it was far worse than that.

He could not feel the presence of the Lord.

It felt like he had gone blind, or lost a limb. No matter where he was, or what he was doing, if he stopped and concentrated, he could feel God's love. Its holy warmth, reminding him of the importance and justice of his mission. But now it was gone.

There was only one explanation. God was dead.

He had known it, when his soul was drifting in the Expanse. He had felt God's presence ebb, as He fought for his life against the false Messiah and his minions, before finally fading.

It had happened before- once. In another world, where the "Hero" (Satan's lip curled at the thought of a heretic being called heroic) who rebuilt Tokyo had died in the Great Cataclysm, the Great Heretic had survived. The Lord had high hopes for him- guided by Pazuzu, he could destroy the rebel Lucifer once and for all. But he had betrayed Pazuzu and joined forces with the fallen one. He had carved his way through all of the Lord's servants…

Satan winced at the memory. Even himself.

It had been a pain worse than any other. Not the pain of the Heretic's sword biting into his flesh, or the consort searing him with pure nuclear force… but the knowledge that he had failed. Failed God, failed the Great Will, failed the forces of Law.

It had taken him a very long time to reincarnate. The Lord had filled him in on His actions after he had regained his memories.

He had turned His attentions to another timeline, one where Nakajima had given his Cerberus to a young boy instead of sealing it within Devil Busters. With Satan dead, it had fallen to Thor to purge the demons from Tokyo instead, and he had done well. Even the interference of another heretic had not prevented God's wrath from cleansing Tokyo.

But it had not sealed the rifts. Not even flooding the world once more- a decision He had agonized over- could purge the demons from the Earth. Even with their leader Asura gone, the true enemy, Lucifer, directed them from his cursed palace. God had decided that the last of humanity would live in Tokyo Millennium- a city built on the ruins of Tokyo. The Archangels Uriel, Raphael, Michael, and Gabriel would guide the people, and together they would build the Millennial Kingdom. All would honor the Lord, and humanity would know peace at last.

It was not to be.

The people had become corrupt, and strayed from the path of God. They had twisted his commandments and used them to oppress, thinking only of their own power. The people and the angels cried out for a Messiah to save them, but God was angry that the people of Millennium had sinned, and so He did not send one.

Uriel, Raphael, and Michael had fallen into despair and blasphemy. They sought to create their own messiah, and their project had spawned five abominations: Aleph, the messiah. Beth, his consort. Gimmel, administrator of Neo-Arcadia, the virtual paradise they sought to lead humanity into. Daleth, the anti-Messiah, who Aleph would defeat to prove his "righteousness". And Zayin, the messiah's bodyguard.

YHVH was appalled, and had abandoned the traitorous angels. He commanded Gabriel, the only one who had not strayed from His will, to sabotage the project. Zayin would get half of Satan's soul, and Set, sleeping in the Expanse, would get the other. He would use the angels' evil plan for good- just as he had used Lucifer's plot against Christ. Zayin, after gaining Aleph's trust, would regain his soul and memories. Then Satan and Aleph would strike down Lucifer, take the few remaining humans who heeded His will onto a spaceship… and fire the Megiddo Ark, pouring His wrath out upon the sinful planet. Then they could begin once more, as they had done in the days of Noah.

 _I will not fail you again, Lord,_ Satan had promised.

He had not kept that promise.

Aleph had slain Lucifer, then rebelled against God and defeated the Kuzuryuu. The sinners of Millennium spared, he had forced his way into Eden and sought to stop the Ark's firing.

Truth be told, Satan himself had grown uncomfortable with the Lord's plan- by firing the Megiddo Ark, was He not committing the sin of genocide? Would he have to judge Him by His own standards?

It did not matter. He was God's instrument of judgment, and he would carry out the Lord's commands as long as there was breath in his body.

No doubt the Lord had known of his doubt, and had abandoned him in the battle. He had fought against the false Messiah, his mother-wife, and his demons- but they had overcome him.

He had failed the Lord, again.

Satan covered his face with his many hands and wept. It was a bitter irony- he had not been able to carry out God's punishments, so God had punished him.

He wondered who God would choose as His highest servant now.

Satan clasped his hands and began to pray.

"O Lord," he prayed. "I beseech Thee, do not choose Mastema as my successor. He is corrupt and will sin against Thee. I will not beg Thee to forgive my sins- but please, heed the words of Thy former servant."

He knew it would do nothing. The Lord was not present in this world. But he had to try… his love for God would not allow him to do otherwise.

Years passed- he did not know how many. He spent them in prayer, seeking the presence of God.

He had tried to explore the strange area he was in, but it was futile. There was no way out. Once, he had passed by a doorway, and felt a presence. One utterly alien. unlike anything, human or demon, he had ever known.

He had stepped through the door, and beyond it…

 _Shan-ti, shan-ti..._

When he saw it, the great pulsating brain, calling out to him in a language he did not understand, his will broke and he fled.

 _What is this world?_ he had thought, trembling in his chamber. _What kind of God is that?_

 _Perhaps it is not a God at all. Perhaps it is a Devil, worse than Lucifer could ever hope to be._

Satan began to laugh, great hysterical cackles echoing throughout the room. Of course. It all made sense now.

He was in Hell.


End file.
